


Brothers: Being an Account of the Tragedy of the Uchiha In the Second Reign of Sarutobi Hiruzen

by AntigonesAncestor



Category: Naruto
Genre: Brotherly Love, Canon Rewrite, Imitation Classic Prose, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-08 19:03:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20840462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AntigonesAncestor/pseuds/AntigonesAncestor
Summary: A transcription and translation of the scrolls of the ancient historian Sarada Uchiha chronicling the near annihilation of her bloodline.(An in-world meta fiction retelling the events of the Uchiha Massacre, its inciting events, and consequences. This account is condensed and written chronologically, allowing for both an accessible version of this particularly convoluted piece of Naruto canon as well as an alternative styling to give enfranchised fans a fresh and enjoyable experience.)





	1. A History of the Early Uchiha Ancestors

**Author's Note:**

> All,
> 
> This is the beginning of an ambitious and somewhat strange project, and I hope that at least some of you get a kick out of it. If, like me, you enjoy both classic canon and Naruto, this is sure to be up your alley. For the sake of explicitness, this piece is presented as in-world fiction as a translation of an ancient scroll written by Sarada. Canon has largely been adhered to, though to fill in gaps, add detail, or better emulate the epic style, certain events have been changed, and the plot is set more firmly in early feudal Japan as opposed to Naruto's otherworldly time-splayed setting. That said, one should be able to reference this as a concise (hah) recount of the tale, if detail need not be too strictly observed. As far as real-world transliteration is concerned, as many words as possible have been translated into English for ease of reading, sparing those common to the Naruto lexicon (shinobi, kunai, &c.) Duplicated vowels are written as such, and thus no accent marks will be used. All that laid out, I hope that this piece brings you joy.

Brothers:  
Being an Account of the Tragedy of the Uchiha In the Second Reign of Saurutobi Hiruzen

Book 1:  
A History of the Early Uchiha Ancestors

<- ->

When, in the early days of Shinobi lineage, the Sage of Six Paths bore his two sons, our story begins. 

Indra-elder among Hagoromo's Ootsusuki's sons-was by all accounts a genius.  
Marshaling humanity's newfound power of controlling chakra in ways never before conceived;  
It seemed certain to Indra that he was to be named successor to his father.

Growing quickly in stature and regard,  
In achievements, in knowledge, and in experience,  
Indra surely was to be the Second Sage.

Led by whispers from the Darkness,  
Bent to ever higher peaks,  
Doubtless was the name of the Second Sage.

It was however not to be.

Indra, gifted with sight unto a god, could not see  
What all others saw as plainly as his face:  
Indra's pride had far outgrown what is becoming to a sage.

Knowing of his son's hubris, Hagoromo named  
The younger of his sons, Asura, as executor of his will;  
To carry in his heart the peace which Indra did disdain.

Indra, in his pride, fell to shame and so to rage.  
He tried in vain to lay waste unto his village  
And, defeated by a power he could not comprehend,

Indra fled into the night.

Indra begat a son, who in turn begot a son,  
And so on, as these things go.  
Their names are forgotten now to those who live.

The cord spins thin through centuries  
Until the birth of one most distinguished  
Even among the legendary clan.

Son of Tajima, heir apparent to Indra,  
The Sage's soul some centuries removed,  
Madara Uchiha's flame ignited.

And so continued Indra's fury upon the Earth.

Madara came of age in the time of war  
Knowing neither peace nor joy  
Until by chance a line was crossed.

Indra and Asura laid down their arms  
The sage's right and left hands clasped  
The day that Madara and Hashirama met.

Though separated by blood and war,  
Never has one man loved another  
Before or since as the heirs.

But the blood of generations was not so easily washed clean.

Tajima, discovering his son's disgrace  
In consorting with their enemy,  
Laid in wait with Izuna, his son.

When the two met, Tajima lept from hiding,  
His strike deterred by the Senju Butsuma and Tobirama  
Who had come for the same purpose.

The clans dueled, fathers and sons and enemies  
As Hashirama tried to quell the fray  
And Madara's eyes awakened to his destiny.

Never had one man hated another as Madara hated Hashirama.

Indra's pride was strong with Madara  
And Asura's power was strong with Hashirama  
And again and again Madara was beaten.

Hashirama could not bear to break his bond with Madara  
No matter how far he sank into  
The poisoned root that Indra sowed;

Nor could Madara forgive Hashirama who bested him,  
A gravest trespass in a world  
Where child slew child and father buried son.

Hashirama had known Madara, and that offense above all else Madara would not forgo.

And just as Butsuma slew Tajima's sons  
And Tajima in turn slew Butsuma's sons  
So each father slew themselves, their sons, and so on.

For Madara had finally found solace in the midst  
Of his father's war that claimed his brothers  
And thought himself betrayed by Hashirama.

And so Madara fought and failed and forever sought  
A greater power which would enable him to best  
His onetime friend in Hashirama,

But no power comes in the world of shinobi without incredible sacrifice.

It came to pass that Madara learned of power  
Locked away in his eyes  
And of the terrible price to obtain it.

He slew his closest friends, freeing his Mangekyou  
Again setting out to challenge Hashirama  
And again was beaten by Asura's hand

Madara howled into the nothing,  
_Oh, Damned things! Oh, Accursed eyes!  
At so dear a cost I purchase a defeat!_

But Madara as yet knew nothing of sacrifice.

It came to pass in time  
Madara's eyes no longer gave light  
No power to their host.

Madara's strength waned;  
And with it the strength of the clan  
And so it came to pass that Tobirama killed Izuna.

Desperate and bereaved, Madara claimed  
Izuna's eyes for his own  
And in doing so gained eternal light.

And so Indra's curse was bound ever tighter from brother to brother.

Madara's new eternal eyes were yet  
No match for Hagoromo's blessing  
And the Senju continued to humiliate him.

In time, the cries of his people could not be ignored  
Even by Madara, proudest of Indra's line;  
He laid down his arms and the clans were joined.

They made for themselves a village  
With Hashirama at the head  
And Madara fled in disgust.

And so Indra's hatred blossomed anew as Madara schemed.

Many years of peace passed in the Village of Leaves,  
And Hashirama led with earnestness and care:  
The era of peace in the Leaf was unrivaled.

Madara was consumed by rage  
And curses and vitriol were his bounty  
He hated the leaf and sought to destroy it.

He tamed a spirit of Hagoromo's creation:  
The Nine-Tailed Fox, malice given form  
And with it he assailed the Village.

Hashirama knew at last no mercy could be afforded, not even to his dearest friend.

In the valley of the end they fought,  
For forty days and forty nights the cliffs  
Rang and echoed with the sounds of battle.

Hashirama emerged the victor,  
Taking Madara for slain  
Though Madara yet lived, defeated and enraged.

Hashirama eventually passed away,  
An old man frustrated by strife  
And so it was that Tobirama ascended to the Village's Shadow.

And still the world was gripped by hate, and still children slew children and fathers buried sons.

Each nation grew in power in Tobirama's reign  
And though peace came from time to time,  
It was brief and costly.

War came to the land of shinobi once more  
The newfound villages with troops enough to kill  
In numbers only dreamt of in days gone by.

Death claimed countless in that war,  
And eventually it claimed Tobirama who fell  
In battle with the Kinkaku

And so the village was doomed to fall from the guiding hand of Asura's love.

The title of Village shadow fell to Hiruzen,  
Heir of the Sarutobi,  
Powerful but foolish.

Though the war which claimed Tobirama  
Came to its end after his death  
Another war soon followed, and another after that.

Sarutobi was arrogant and misguided,  
He kept poor counsel and was self assured,  
Though he certainly cared deeply for the Leaf.

But his shortsightedness would lead to the Massacre of the Uchiha.

In the third great war of Shinobi,  
One son of the Uchiha would inherit Indra's hatred:  
Obito, a bastard and an orphan.

During the war, Obito fought for the leaf  
He was not proud, nor was he exceptionally skilled  
Be he was virtuous and kind.

War cares not for virtue.

Obito was defeated in combat and thought to be dead  
Though, like Madara, he survived  
If by luck and not cunning.

Half destroyed, Obito was repaired by Madara  
Who poisoned and twisted him  
And from the clay of his youth, Madara formed a monster.

Madara poured all of his resentment into Obito  
Gave him power, gave him purpose, gave him Indra's legacy  
And on his deathbed, Madara gave Obito his name.

And so Madara died in obscurity; an old, wretched man in disgrace.

The war raged on, indifferent to death  
Not Madara's, not Obito's,  
Nor any of the other children whom it claimed.

Shinobi, in their perversity  
Crowned some among themselves  
As heroes of the war that stole their children.

Among these heroes was a son of the Uchiha:  
Fugaku of the Wicked Eye,  
Father of two sons.

Indra to Tajima, Tajima to Madara, Madara to Obito, So goes the legacy of Indra's hatred.


	2. The Sons of Fugaku of the Wicked Eye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second scroll recovered from the writings of historian Sarada Uchiha. It is here that we begin to see her account vary from the account of the sage Kishimoto, though in this scholar's opinion Uchiha's descriptions should be read with more weight as while she was not a contemporary of these events, she was alive concurrently with many involved (not least notably her father) and therefore is more likely to have a complete and clear understanding of events.

Book two:

An Account of the Early Days of the Sons of Fugaku

<- ->

Uchiha Fugaku of the Wicked Eye,  
Champion of the battle of Itsumori,  
Husband to Mikoto,

Weep to hear his name!  
Second only to his eldest son  
Was to be Fugaku's suffering.

Pride and power were his keep;  
Pain and strife followed his step.  
He sought only to better his clan's lot.

But none fall so easily to Indra's hate as good men.

In the third shinobi war,  
In the first reign of Hiruzen  
Was Fugaku's fortune sown and soured.

The war had raged for 10 years  
And the one before that for 15,  
And the one before that another 10

Hiruzen the Shadow had grown tired  
And so as the war closed  
He elected to name his successor.

Fugaku was determined to redeem his clan and rise to the village's shadow.

Hashirama, First Among Shadows, loved Madara  
And sought to do good for the Uchiha  
Even after Madara's betrayal of the Leaf

But Tobirama, Successor to the Flame, was wary  
Of Indra's tribe, and kept them at arm's reach  
Fearing yet more treachery.

And Hiruzen, the Warrior King, pushed yet further  
Placing the Uchiha at the leaf's edge  
And making them instruments of the leaf's designs.

But Fugaku was determined to restore the honor of the noble Uchiha

And so the time came for the fourth shadow to ascend  
The third was weary, and intent to rest  
And to Hiruzen and his council, Fugaku spoke:

_Lord Hiruzen, Warrior King,_  
_Hear the proud works_  
_Of the Uchiha's son:_

_I, Fugaku of the Wicked Eye,_  
_Son to Tetsuo, champion of Itsumori,_  
_Do tender myself unto the village's shadow._

But Hiruzen feared the Uchiha, just as Tobirama before him.

_What of Orochimaru,_  
_Most favored among your students?_  
Asked Homura of the Mitokado.

_Or otherwise of Minato, _  
_Most stalwart of the leaf?_  
Asked Koharu of the Utatane.

Hiruzen took under advisement  
His oldest friends and councilors  
And in the end, Minato the Flash was named.

The Uchiha slipped further towards the village's edge.

For a time, there was peace in the land;  
The reign of Minato the flash was prosperous,  
And Fugaku bore a son, Itachi.

Itachi was most beloved,  
Not only in the house of Fugaku  
But among all whom he met.

His heart was good,  
His blood was powerful,  
And he quickly grew in status and stature.

Fugaku and Mikoto loved their son more dearly than the earth.

Years passed under The Flash's watch  
And peace was long-lasting in the village.  
And Fugaku bore another son, Sasuke.

Sasuke loved his clan, and his clan loved him.  
Though his power paled to Itachi's,  
The brothers loved one another powerfully.

Sasuke was held dearly by his peers  
And esteemed among the village masters  
But first among his friends was Itachi.

And Fugaku and Mikoto loved their sons more dearly than the earth.

Now, in the first year after Sasuke's birth,  
A grave calamity befell the leaf  
Unlike those known since the days of Hashirama.

Madara the Destroyer, wrath of Indra,  
Unleashed the Nine-Tailed Fox upon the village  
And hundreds fell in its rampage.

Among the fallen was Minato The Flash,  
Who sealed the Fox with his dying breath  
And so the village lacked a shadow once more.

And Fugaku once more spoke to the elders, determined to claim the shadow.

The fourth had passed,  
His soul now forever bound with the reaper  
And unto the council, Fugaku spoke:

_Lord Hiruzen, Warrior King,_  
_Hear the proud works_  
_Of the Uchiha's son:_

_I, Fugaku of the Wicked Eye,_  
_Son to Tetsuo, champion of Itsumori,_  
_Do tender myself unto the village's shadow._

But the council had turned their ears against him.

_An Uchiha comes to supplicate the council_  
_Even now, as the fourth is slain by the Fox!_  
Cried Homura of the Mitokado.

_It is known even to the children_  
_That the Fox has long been Madara's lapdog!_  
Shouted Koharu of the Utatane.

_Better it were Orochimaru, now fled from us,_  
_Or Jiraiya the indolent, or Tsunade the drunk!_  
Said Danzou, The Shadow's Shadow.

This final trespass, Fugaku could not forgive.

Indra's curse burned furious in Fugaku.  
His heart became unto a stone  
And his eyes were like two braziers.

His tongue like a sword, he lashed out:  
_Come, brothers! The Uchiha,_  
_Once proudest among men,_

_Are now so many Kunai to the leaf._  
_This last offense must be reckoned,_  
_And the leaf must know our outrage._

And so for many years, Fugaku plotted against the leaf.

So it was that Hiruzen was once more the shadow  
And as Fugaku's rage grew,  
So grew the power of his sons.

Itachi quickly climbed the ranks of the leaf,  
Coming eventually under the eye of Danzou  
Who took the child for his own subordinate.

While Hiruzen distrusted the Uchiha,  
Danzou saw in them an imminent threat  
And sought them eradicated.

And so it was the Danzou tasked the young Itachi as a spy.

Itachi for some time lied to Danzou  
And tried with his full guile  
To disguise the threat to the leaf.

_Shadow's Shadow,_  
_Left hand to the Warrior King_  
_And Right Hand to the leaf,_

_Fugaku's rumblings are loud_  
_And his slight is dearly held_  
_But he means not to make war._

But Danzou was a cunning man, and knew Itcahi to be false.

_You deceive me, Itachi the Weasel, Firstborn of Fugaku._  
_My eyes see your invention, And my ears hear your intent._  
_You must fix your eyes to the inevitable._

_The Uchiha are strong and proud,_  
_Noble among shinobi and great in heart,_  
_But they are few in number and reviled by the village._

_Should your father's designs come true, destruction is their lot;_  
_Their legacy shall be a scar upon the leaf_  
_And losses will be calamitous upon your land._

And so it was that Danzou ordered Itachi to destroy the Uchiha clan.

The wind blew low on the Uchiha's final night,  
The boy wept as he sharpened his sword  
And all the clouds hung thick to mask the heavens' shame.

He donned his armor and shone his headband  
Laced his boots and his greaves  
And took to the grove outside his clan's ground.

There he met with Madara the destroyer  
For not even Itachi could best the clan alone  
And Madara held no love for the clan that spurned him

And the two set out to their work.


	3. An Account of the Darkest Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The third scroll from the histories of Sarada Uchiha. It is unclear where she discovered these events, as all but three involved parties died that night. Common speculation among scholars holds that these events were related to Sasuke by Madara during their time together as a tactic to stoke his hatred for the leaf.

Book 3:

An Account of the Darkest Night

<- ->

Hear this account of Izumi, first to slaughter:

Izumi, daughter to Hazuki, exile of the clan  
Her youthful eye fixed on her beloved Itachi  
Was first slain among the Uchiha.

Hikoro her father fell in the second rage  
Of the Nine-Tails upon the leaf  
And awakened her eyes to purpose.

Long had she admired Itachi,  
Her heart delighted in his presence  
Even unto her final breath.

Her life begot her death, as it goes.

Itachi approached her in a grove  
Disguised the brevity of her tenure  
And tempered his resolve in blood.

He showed her with his eyes  
A life resplendent in virtue and joy  
And struck her down, her mother after.

His will now fixed, Itachi moved to the compund,  
There Naka and Naori, Teyaki and Urichi,  
And hundreds more he killed.

Itachi the Weasel slipped from home to home like a plague until reaching the home of Fugaku.

_The moon's light on your sword,_  
_Firstborn of my sons,_  
_Reveals to me your intent._

_Tell me, boy, whence comes that blood?_  
_What cause has made of you a butcher?_  
Inquired Fugaku of the killer.

_Tell me, where is Sasuke?_  
_What becomes of your brother, my treasure?_  
Begged Mikoto of her child.

His mercy to Izumi washed away by blood, Itachi spoke coldly:

_Father, Fugaku of the Wicked Eye_  
_Your own sins tonight visit_  
_Upon you, your sons, and all your clan._

_Your vanity has become my blade,_  
_And your rage has fixed my aim on you;_  
_Your threat to the village sharpens my will._

_Mother, Mikoto the Vernal Glen,_  
_With your life, and father's, and the clans'_  
_Do I purchase Sasuke's vouchsafe._

Weeping, the boy laid them down.

Sasuke was by chance not in the commune  
The night of the blood's treason  
And came home to an ocean of dead.

The bodies were unto a flood,  
Friends and shopkeepers and sages  
Now so many pieces and wholes.

Rushing to his home, Sasuke discovered  
His family: two corpses, a killer,  
And blood.

Weeping, the boy cried out.

_Brother! What becomes of our household?_  
_What robber makes our home unto a crypt?_  
He demanded of his brother.

_No robber nor madman nor disaster_  
_His stricken the home of the Uchiha_  
Replied Itachi coldly.

_I have made of them my sport_  
_And against them measured my capacity_  
_And none among them matched my power._

Itachi then turned his accursed eye against his brother.

In that moment a boy of six  
Witnessed his father and his mother  
Slaughtered time and again for hours.

Itachi had long since determined  
His brother could not know the truth  
Lest the clan's suffering be in vain

And so resolved himself to become  
The object of his brother's hate  
A boy of thirteen became to all a demon

And Itachi said this:

_To slay even you would have no point_  
_My foolish brother. If you wish to kill me,_  
_Curse me! Hate me!_

_Curse not the stars, cry not to heaven,_  
_They do not despoil you of your hope;_  
_ The wind cares not for your grief._

_Live a long and unsightly life_  
_Roll in muck as a beast of stock_  
_ And when you have the same eyes as I do, come before me._

And Itachi the Reviled fled in disgrace, and all who spoke his name cursed him.


End file.
